The present invention relates to a tool for facilitating the removal of an orthopedic implant used in joint surgery.
When a joint implant needs to be replaced, the surgeon needs to remove it, and removal can be difficult because the implant is fixed to adjacent bone by bone cement and/or bone in-growth.
Current devices which allow the implant to be gripped so that force can be applied to remove it, don't adequately grasp or hold the implant, and tend to slip off or not optimally allow for application of removal force. While vise-grip pliers have been used to remove orthopedic pins, they are generally not suitable for removal of other types of implants.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a tool for temporarily and securely connecting a joint implant to a force applying tool such as a slide hammer that can provide sufficient impact to drive the implant out.